I-405: San Diego Freeway

This freeway is a bypass of Downtown Los Angeles. However, it is not faster. In fact, 10am looks just like 10pm traffic-wise seven days a week. This freeway more or less invented the 24 hour rush hour. There is a joke that it was numbered the 405 because you are going 4 or 5 miles per hour. This route has HOV lanes along its entire route, with the last section being through the Sepulveda Pass.

Orange County:

405 North from the HOV lane in Irvine. Note the wide median, buffer zone to the right, plus four mixed lanes. This is a wide freeway indeed.55 North HOV ramp from the 405 NorthSignage for the 55 North HOV connectionAlong the section cosigned with the 22, newer “Boulevard” style lights have been installed, giving this section of the 405 a very unique look.

Los Angeles County:

At the 710, greenout for State 7 is still visible.405 south at the 110. Many overlays here with the Carpool lane formerly ending here and the 110 used to be State 11.Approaching LAX from the north, signs point towards surface streets instead of I-105.Signs placed at certain exits along the 405 from LAX to Sunset Blvd. This section of I-405 is the most congested. Alternate I-405 and I-10 shields have also been placed at Wilshire Blvd and Sepulveda Blvd.Here, I-405 meets SR-91. This far west, SR-91 is a surface street – Artesia Blvd. Also note the older 107 shield for Hawthorne Blvd.Northbound at Sunset Blvd before reconstruction.Old sign near Waterford St, heading northbound. There used to be three or four of these blank signs until a few years ago.The Mulholland Bridge over the 405 at the top of Sepulveda Pass. View is southbound.From California Highways and Public Works November/December 1960.Old signage approaching US 101 heading over Sepulveda Pass. Note the outline US 101 shield.

The US 101/I-405 interchange signage. The US 101 sign has no button copy on it.Southbound San Diego Freeway at the Ventura Freeway in 1959. Note the signage for SR-7 instead of I-405. This would change only a few years later.The 405 at the 118. Devonshire St. is the former alignment of Rt. 118. Note the lack of striping on the thru lanes. Only Botts Dots here.Mileages to the larger cities in the area. This one is in the middle of the San Fernando Valley. Bakersfield is the former control city of the 405 northbound.Original signage at the 5 / 405 split. Note the US 6 signage. The 405 overhead was still there until a few years ago.One of the few remaining signs for the named freeways in LA. This one is at the north end of the 405.The north end has an END marker.North end of the 405 at the 5. Truck lanes are at right.

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A few months ago, I decided to purchase a new domain in the anticipation of moving to northern California. Whether or not that move takes place, I still own that domain. As such, this site may be expanding in scope to cover a few more counties. The new site, NorCalRegion.Com, is still a work in progess, but will cover highways and geology in the northern half of the state. Where that line will be drawn is still being worked out. Look for updates in the coming months for these changes and expansions.

There is a group in Bakersfield trying to get historic route signs posted on the original alignment of US 99 through the Bakersfield area. They could use your support. Check out the site below for more information.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has a wealth of information available on their website. With a bit of patience and some looking around, you can find quite a few treasures using their mapping application. I’ve so far found the original survey data for the “Bridge To Nowhere” roadway, plans for other roadways that were never built in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, as well as the forest service permit for the Shoemaker Canyon Road that was never completed.